CICHCLIDS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
Order Perciformes
Suborder Percoidei
Family Cichlidae
South and Central America supply us with a significant portion of popular species. They are distributed from California and Texas to Argentina, as well as on the islands of the Caribbean Sea. Represented by more than 500 species. Quite large fish. The natural size of these cichlids is 20-30 cm; in an aquarium, it depends on the volume, but is usually smaller. Externally, the cichlid community is inactive and even phlegmatic. Sluggish, majestic fish. As a rule, they have a large head with a convex forehead, and a wide mouth with strong padded lips.
Some species are clearly expressed predators, and most are aggressive both toward their own and other species. A fish community should be formed from the fry stage, or at least from the juvenile stage, through joint rearing. Pairs form spontaneously, firmly occupy a territory, and fiercely guard it from neighbors. When selecting a cichlid community, various factors must be taken into account: their water quality requirements, feeding habits, behavior, degree of aggressiveness, and breeding methods. Success in keeping and breeding can only be achieved by observing general and specific requirements.
It is better to keep large and small species separately. For small species, an aquarium of at least 100-150 liters is needed; for large ones, 200-250 liters with a large bottom area. In large aquariums (from 200 liters), several species can be combined. The larger the aquarium for keeping large American cichlids, the better. However, there are cases when even in a three-ton body of water, certain fish—especially large specimens of Crenicichla, Cichlasoma festae, Cichlasoma managuense, Amphilophus citrinellus, etc.—have such an unbearable temperament that they literally make life impossible for all other inhabitants, including conspecifics of the opposite sex. Such fish have to be kept alone in smaller aquariums.
It is important that its width allows the fish to turn around freely. Introducing an individual of the opposite sex to such aggressors for the purpose of breeding is in most cases useless — the fish will simply be killed within the next hour or two. To reduce aggressiveness, individuals of the same sex can be kept. Shelters are needed in numbers greater than the number of pairs and sized for adult fish. Powerful plants with hard leaves should be planted only in pots and surrounded by large stones along the perimeter so that the cichlids do not dig them up. Echinodorus species are best among plants. They live from 4 to 10 years.
Depending on the habitats of cichlids, the chemical properties of water even in the rivers and lakes of South America differ greatly. Three types of fresh water are well known for the rivers and lakes of South America — clear, white, and black. — Clear water is pure river water flowing in a bed of dazzling white quartz sand among rain forests. It is usually soft with a slightly acidic active pH reaction. — White water creates a similar impression due to the whitish suspension carried by mighty currents. It is also usually soft, and the pH reaction is slightly alkaline or neutral. — Black water is characterized by a high concentration of organic matter that colors it dark brown. The water in the river is acidic and very soft.
In Central America, as has been established, water, unlike in South America, is hard, slightly alkaline, and in some places, to one degree or another, brackish. Water hardness in the dry season can reach 60 degrees dH and even higher! It turned out that Central American cichlids, similar in size and temperament, can be wonderfully kept in general aquariums with lake representatives of the African ichthyofauna. The water properties suit them perfectly. Some species of American cichlids are found even further north, in the southern states of the USA. The water chemistry in which they live differs little from the water in Central America.
Regarding the chemical composition of water, most American cichlids are undemanding, despite the fact that in nature fish inhabit various types of water, ranging from almost distilled, like the inhabitants of Amazonia, to brackish, where cichlids of Nicaraguan lakes live. An active water pH reaction near 7, corresponding to a neutral environment with medium hardness (8-12 degrees dH), is suitable for almost all species. However, cichlids of the large lakes of Central America (Nicaragua, Managua, etc.) feel better in slightly alkaline water with a pH of 7.5-8.5. Such conditions are also well suited for brackish-water cichlids, but 1-5 grams of salt per liter of aquarium water must also be added. Inhabitants of the Amazon, Orinoco basins, and rivers of the western coast of equatorial Africa prefer slightly acidic water with a pH of 5.5-6.5.
With the exception of outright predators, such as Cichla and Crenicichla, feeding American cichlids is not a problem. As a rule, all these fish are carnivores, with few exceptions: Nicaraguan cichlasomas and Uaru gladly eat vegetation. Geophagus sift through the substrate in search of benthic organisms and eat decaying plant parts. Most of these fish, however, prefer predation. Their prey becomes fish fry and various invertebrates.
In nature, most species feed on river plankton, ranging from the smallest crustaceans to relatively large freshwater shrimp, insect larvae, worms, etc. Note that both predators and vegetarians do not neglect small amounts of plant and animal food. The need for a particular ratio of plant and animal diet changes depending on the age of the fish and the intensity of reproductive cycles.
Omnivorous fish feed equally on plant and animal food depending on its availability. The diet consists mainly of meat products (bloodworms, Corethra, beef heart, minced squid, etc.). They need to be accustomed to dry foods gradually. In captivity, they eagerly eat pelleted foods (flakes are too small for them), as well as various seafood: fish, shrimp meat, squid; beef meat and liver as a supplement. These products are cut into pieces according to the size of the fish, so that they easily pass into the mouth, but not too finely.
Sexual dimorphism is not clearly expressed in all species; often the male and female look very similar externally. But there are still a few characteristic distinguishing features. As a rule, males are larger, more brightly colored, dorsal and anal fins are pointed, often with streamers, and the forehead is higher and more massive due to a growth of adipose tissue. The coloration of the fish during spawning games reaches maximum brightness. The prelude to spawning is the mating dance, which is a combination of various movements and postures, with the main dancer being the male. The male’s dance is interspersed with nest building, which consists of pits dug in the substrate (there may be several of them, just in case) and stones, driftwood, the aquarium bottom, etc., cleared of algae and deposits.
Large fish, especially collectively, can move aquarium decor elements, even stones, because in water they are lighter than on land. It is best to use large decorations that are too heavy for the fish to move. Nest building usually begins before the dances, but the male constantly returns to this activity. It should be noted that the aggressiveness of even the most peaceful species increases greatly during spawning.
Most American cichlids are lithophiles, i.e., they lay sticky eggs on a substrate, usually a stone. After the eggs are laid, the roles of the parents are distributed as follows: the female takes direct care of the eggs, fanning them with her pectoral fins, thereby ensuring a current of water and consequently oxygen; she carefully removes dirt and dead eggs with her lips. The male at this time guards the surrounding area, fearlessly rushing at everything that moves, even at you. By the way, bites from large fish can be very painful.
After 7-9 days, the fry begin to swim and feed. The parents control the behavior of the fry using visual and auditory (clicks with teeth and gill arches) signals. Various postures assumed by the parents serve as signs for the fry indicating what is allowed and what is not. In some species, the female’s mouth serves as a refuge for the fry; upon one of the parents’ signals, the fry rush to the female and hide in her mouth cavity.
Some species (Astronotus ocellatus, discus, Pterophyllum, Cichlasoma crassum) feed the fry mucous skin secretions resembling milk in consistency for the first few days, but in aquarium conditions, this happens extremely rarely. This entire family nursery lasts about a month; during this time, the fry reach approximately one centimeter in size, the parental instinct weakens, and they usually begin preparing for a new clutch. Now it is better to remove the fry.
Sexual maturity occurs at 7-10 months in small and medium species, and 1-2 years in large ones. The fry, in most cases, are colored modestly in gray tones, and as they grow, they acquire the coloration of their parents. The juveniles of Cichlasoma meeki, Astronotus ocellatus, and Uaru are brilliantly colored. Successful fish breeding can occur in a general aquarium. This is especially true for cichlids that protect their offspring.
At the same time, the fishkeeper’s task is to catch the fry or larvae in time, most of which will sooner or later be eaten in the general aquarium by cannibalistic neighbors. You can also remove all other fish from the aquarium, leaving the clutch together with the parents or one of them, but doing this without damaging the interior setup and without frightening the breeding fish is technically difficult. It is best to do this at night, illuminating the aquarium with a red flashlight while the fish are sleeping.
Main species of American cichlids.
Retroculus lapidifer, Retroculus septentrionalis, Retroculus xinguensis. 
